Sep 15

How important is it to be culturally diverse? How much do you truly know about your culture, let alone someone else’s?

Whenever my grandparents come over or I go to visit, they always share stories about our heritage or how things used to be. Every time it’s a different story. They could literally go on for days telling just one story. The grandchildren just sit there listening attentively, asking questions here and there. Over the years I’ve come to realize how little I know about my own culture. Then I think to myself, how much do I know about other cultures and customs? If I were to go to a foreign place, would I know the customs and social norms – probably not. Whose fault was it that I knew so little about myself? It was my own, especially in the world we live today. The world is slowly getting smaller thanks to social media and other internet based forums. Anything you want to know or learn about is only a click away. There is no reason to be out of the loop when it comes to different cultures norms and customs, especially your own. You just have to have the urge to explore.

There are so many great ways to learn about other cultures – you just have to find what suits you best. Whether it’s through cooking, traveling, or simply going online and asking somebody what you want to know, there is an infinite amount of information available. These various avenues can help grow your knowledge base and assist you in becoming more culturally diverse. Having this information also helps you when dealing with people and various situations. Knowing where a person comes from or how their cultural norms, aids you in understanding why people do what they do. It will while also help you in making better decisions when communicating, to avoid offending others.

Scarlet Says…You don’t have to be an expert on every culture known to man, as that would be asking too much. However, you should be familiar with your own and the one’s that you often interface with. Get to know people and talk to them. Be inquisitive and ask questions appropriately. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to make some great experiences as you immerse yourself in different cultures.